Vehicle bed



Oct. 2, 192s. 1,686,294 y A. F. RODEKOHR VEHICLE BED Filed Au .25 1927 sheets-sneer 2 Patented Qet. 2, 1928..

narran stares insana' ARTHURF. RODEKOHR, OF BATTLEVQREEK, N'ELBRASKA- vnirrcrn BED.

Application filed August 25; '119277. Serial No. 215,481. v

y This invention relates to vehicle bed-especially ladapted to be used as an automobile body attachment, and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

lin object of the invention is to provide a `bed or box having its parts and features so arranged and assembled that the struetine may be readily converted from a truck box thereof. The end portions ofthe sills extend beyond the outer sides of the beams and are provided with stake pockets. Flooring is applied to the upper edges of the sills and side panels are hingedly connected with the side edgesv of the ooring Vand may be swung from positions at right angles to the flooring to positions in horizontal alinement therewith. The side pieces are connected with the end portions of the sills and are disposed below the plane of `the flooring. Vihen the panels are swung down they rest firmly uponV the upper surfaces of the side pieces and consequently they extend or enlarge the surface area of the floor ofthe structure. Prop supports are pivotally connected with the panels and pass through slots provided in the side pieces and may be engaged by pinsl detachably carried bythe sills and whereby the' panels may be held in vertical positions with relation to the flooring. K

An end gate is hingedly connected with the rear sill and means are provided for connecting the free edge portion of the end gate with corresponding' portions ofthe panels when the structure is used as a truck box.` When the structure is used as a platform for carrying lumber, the panels are lowered and long pieces of timber may be carried upon the upper surfaces of the panels and the forward ends of the timber extended over the forward portion of the fender of the automobilev machine and theyy may rest lightly thereon. When the device is used as a stock crate the side panels are lowered and rack panels are supported in the stake pockets so that there will be ample floor space rto carry enough stoclr weight to make a load.

ln the drawings, v

Figure l is a top plan iew of the bed,

vFig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof cut on the line 2 2 of lFig. 1,'

liig. 3 is an end elevational view of the bed,

Fig. l is a sectional view thereof, line l--l of l', and

` `Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a corner portion ofthe bed with' parts thereof broken away and parts shown in section.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the vehicle vbed comprises spaced beams l adapted to be placed upon the frame of an automobile machine in any Vsuitable manner.

Sills are disposed transversely across the beams l above'the upper surfaces thereof and the upper edge portions of the sills at their ends are cut away forming recesses 3. Side pieces l are fitted in the recesses?)v with their upper surfaces liush or level with the upper edge surfaces of Vthe sills.l Stake pockets 5 are carried at the ends of vthe sills. Flooring G is applied to the elevated intermediate portions of the sills andV a head board 7 is mounted at the forward edge of the flooring 6. Side cut on the f panels 8 are hingedly connected with the sidel edges of the flooring and may be swung from vertical positionsV against the edges vof the flooring to horizontal'positions whereby the said panels lie -flat-upon the upper surfaces ofthe side pieces 4. The head board 7 does not extend transversely across the side 'pieces or the side panels when the said panels are lowered and consequently pieces of lumbervorr timber may be placed lupon Vthe upper snrfaces ofthe side panels when lowered and the forward portions of thesaid` pieces of timber may extend forwardly alongthe sides J of the automobile machinev andA rest lightlyv upon the upper ends of thefront fenders. 'lhus longpieces of material may'be readily carried by the bed even though the same is applied to a relatively small machine.

Stakes 9 are inserted in the pockets 5, and hold the pieces of timber in position upon the v bed. Crank pins 10 pass transversely through the end portions of the sills 2 and may pass through the lower ends of prop supports 11 which are piv'oted at their upper ends to the sides .of the panels 8. The lower portions of the props 11 pass through slots l() provided in the lpieces 4c. Spring clips-13 are mounted at the outer surfaces of the terminal desired to lower the panels, the pins l() arey turned so that their crank portions disengage the clips 13 and then the pins are withdrawn from the props and the sills, thus permitting the side panels to be swung down upon the side pieces l as hereinbefore described. After the pins l() have been withdrawn from the sills they may be insert-ed through the outer portions of the stake pockets and the lower ends of the stakes and their crank ends may be swung over into the clips 13 whereby the stakes will be securely held in the pockets.

An end gate 14 is hingedly connected at the rear edge of the flooring and is adapted to swing to a vertical position above 'the upper surface of the flooring.` The end gate is piovided with loop members l5 at its ends adapted to engage over similar loop members i6 carried at the-rear ends of the side panels 8 and when the said side panels are in vertical positions. Pins 1T may be passed through the loops of the members 1G whereby the end portions ofthe end gate are connected with the side pan-els and the end gate is held in a vertical position by the side panels. When the end gate is vertically disposed the bed may be used as a truck body for carrying loose or unpacked articles or commodities. Vhen Yused as a stock rack the side panels 8 are a suflicient weight of the live stock may be loaded into the bed to make it acomplete load. v

Attention is particularly called to one advantage which this box has over other boxes of the same size and type, which is that the side-pieces il, being located directly above the Vrear wheel of the car, constitute in effect a fender and from this fender a inudguard of heavy tin may extend downward to the runf ning board of the car. This is of advantage as, for instance, in buying a new car where the rear fenders may be omitted and thus Jthe price ofthese rear fenders saved. The mudguard is not shown .inasmuch as it is believed to be obvious that with the construction shown in the drawings the member l docs constitute a fender and that a mudguard might be used.V Y l Having thus described my invention, what is claimed,is:

l. A vehicle bed comprising spaced sills having recesses at their upper edges and at their ends, side pieces fitting in the recesses with their upper surfaces alined with the upper edges of the intermediate portions of the sills, flooring'mounted upon the intermediate portions of the sills, and side panels hinged at the edges of the flooring and adapt-- ed to swing ovei the side pieces and lie with their upper' surfaces in the saine plane as that occupied by the upper surface of the flooring.

2. r. vehicle bed comprising sills provided with recesses, side pieces fitting in the recesses and having upper surfaces alined with the portions of the upper edges ofthe sills,

flooring mounted upon the upper edges of the sills, side panels hinged at the edges of the flooring and adapted to swing over t-he side pieces, and lie with their yupper surfaces alined with the upper surface of the flooring.

3. A vehicle bed comprising sills provided with recesses, iiooring mounted upon theV upper edges of the sills, side pieces iitted inthe vrecesses and lying in a plane below the plane of the flooring, panels hinged at the edges of the flooring and adapted toswing over the side pieces with their upper surfaces lying in a plane alined with thegupper surface of the fiooring.

4. A vehicle bed comprising sills provided with recesses, side pieces fitting in the recesses, flooring mounted upon the sills and disposed in a plane above the side pieces', side panels hinged at the edges of the liooring and swingable from positions where they are vertically disposed to posit-ions where they are horizontally disposed and overlie the side pieces, prop members pivotally connected with the side panels, and pins passing through the sills vand engaging the prop members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. v

Y. ARTHUR r. noDiiKoi-in. 

